Southern Gospel Christmas Songs
Edit: By the way, this is my personal 1000th post on this blog.
Southern Gospel artists recording a Christmas album typically use a mix of carols and secular Christmas songs. But there have been some excellent songs written for and recorded by Southern Gospel artists.
If you were recording a CD and chose to only use songs written or originally recorded within our genre, what songs would you choose? Are there enough that you could come out with a strong project?
Here are five that come to mind:
- Glory to God in the Highest (Inspirations, Brian Free & Assurance, Old Friends, Signature Sound / written by Daryl Williams)
- Mary, Did You Know (Gaither Vocal Band / lyrics by Mark Lowry)
- Tonight (Signature Sound / written by Gloria & Benjy Gaither)
- It’s Jesus (Mark Trammell Trio / written by Dianne Wilkinson)
- His Name Was John (Perrys / writen by Ronald Martin and Kyla Rowland)
With that, perhaps, as a start, can any of you come up with a list of ten SG-originated Christmas songs you would like to record on a SG Christmas project?
Comment by John (December 3, 2008, 9:25 am)
I’d add Beautiful Star of Bethlehem to the list.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (December 3, 2008, 9:25 am)
Yes, that one definitely belongs.
Comment by Bev (December 3, 2008, 10:14 am)
I would add “Glory To God In The Highest”
“Come Make A Place In Me”
& ” Sweet Baby Jesus”
Comment by Kyle (December 3, 2008, 10:34 am)
I recorded “Look Who Just Checked In” on my Christmas CD. “That Little Baby” is also another cool Christmas song by Gold City.
Comment by Samuel Sitler (December 3, 2008, 11:42 am)
You’re forgetting So Much God.
Comment by Richie (December 3, 2008, 12:53 pm)
Well, there are so many great songs to choose from! I’d say:
“I Wanna Hear The Angels Sing” (Hoppers)
“Cherish That Name” (Greater Vision”
“Unspeakable Joy” (Goodmans)
“Little One” (Gaither Vocal Band)
“Hand of Sweet Release” (Gaither Vocal Band)
“The Shepherds Found The Lamb” (Greater Vision)
“Heaven’s Child” (Florida Boys)
“Christmas With A Captial C” (Legacy 5)
“A Little Peace On Earth” (Legacy 5)
“Go Tell Everyone” (Gaither Vocal Band)
I know some of these song were originally recorded by some other groups, but these are the cuts I have in my collection. In any case, this was fun!
Comment by nate (December 3, 2008, 1:19 pm)
I would add “It’s Still The Greatest Story Ever Told” To that list, I love that song.
Comment by Andrew S. (December 3, 2008, 2:53 pm)
Last year, around Christmas time (of course!), I heard a song called “I’ll Never Forget the Day Santa Claus Got Saved.” Now that takes the cake of being the most interesting ever. I heard it on a local radio station; however, the radio dj gave no information as to whom the artist was who recorded it.
As far as a great Southern Gospel Christmas song, I would include “That Little Baby” recorded by Gold City. I love that song!!
Comment by Aaron Swain (December 3, 2008, 4:00 pm)
I’ll add “Glorious Impossible” by GVB to the list. Great song, and some great harmony by the group!
Comment by Sannie (December 3, 2008, 7:10 pm)
Thanks Aaron, I was just going to add that GVB song too!
Comment by Kyle (December 3, 2008, 11:17 pm)
I would say almost the entire “Still The Greatest Story” album by the GVB qualifies, which is why I was disappointed with the new one they just did. Instead of strong, new Christmas material, they rehashed the standards.
Comment by Meagan Williams (December 4, 2008, 12:47 am)
Here’s my list of 10, in no particular order. I have the artist that recorded it in parenthesis. many have recorded some of these songs, I’m just posting my favorites. Congrats on your 1000th post, Daniel! What a great accomplishment!
ORDINARY BABY (Reba Rambo) - written by Gloria Gaither & Dony McGuire
MARY, DID YOU KNOW (GVB) - written by Mark Lowry & Buddy Greene
BEAUTIFUL STAR OF BETHLEHEM (Ben Speer) - written by Adgar M. Pace and R. Fisher Boyce
REACHING (GVB) - written by Bill & Gloria Gaither
GOOD NEWS (The Hoppers) - written by James Anderson & Walter C. Carter
REJOICE WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY (the Martins) - written by Lanny Wolfe
THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD HAS COME (the Isaacs) - written by Sonya Isaacs and Rebecca Isaacs-Bowman
GLORY TO GOD (Talley Trio) - written by Ray Scarborough
Sweet Baby Jesus (Jeff & Sheri Easter, Charlotte Ritchie) - written by Sheri Easter
FEAR NOT (Kim Hopper) - written by Daryl K. Williams
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (December 4, 2008, 7:21 am)
Thanks!
Meagan, I wish I knew all the songs on your list, but you actually pulled out a few I’ve yet to hear. Great list, though - I see you’re the first person to try to assemble a complete list.
Comment by JimT (December 4, 2008, 7:33 am)
WONDER OF WONDERS by the Inspirations must be included. No song ever has captured the wonder of God becoming flesh like this one. HOPE HAS HANDS by the Hoppers would be my other choice.
Comment by Seaton (December 4, 2008, 7:34 am)
“Hope Has Hands” written by Phil Cross, recorded by the Hoppers.
Comment by brady (December 4, 2008, 8:37 am)
Here’s my list of the first dozen that came to mind:
1. Sweet Christmas Birth–Karen Peck
2. He Put The Merry In Merry Christmas–Kirk Talley
3. I Wanna Hear The Angels Sing–Hoppers
4. Emanuel–Talley Trio
5. Give The Gift–Tribute Quartet
6. Jesus Is The Reason–McKameys
7. Glory To God In The Highest–The Specks
8. Christmas Means Jesus–The Isaacs
9. Heaven’s Child–Martins
10. When A Savior Dreams–Ruppes
11. From Bethlehem to Calvary–Ponder/Sikes/Wright
12. Go Tell Everyone–Gaither Vocal Band
There are so many more good ones out there, that I could probably make two or three more lists. We’re very fortunate to have great writers in southern gospel music who keep finding new ways to tell the old story! Merry Christmas to everyone.
Comment by Meagan Williams (December 4, 2008, 2:33 pm)
Really, Daniel? I figured you would know all of those! Wow. Let me know what you think when you listen to them. If you want to know what CDs those are on, let me know.
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (December 4, 2008, 4:02 pm)
I actually know which CDs most of those are on. Believe it or not, I don’t own 100% of the SG CDs ever released…yet.
Comment by Samuel (December 4, 2008, 4:32 pm)
Cherish That Name was recorded by the Cathedrals in 1981, Richie.
Comment by Richie (December 4, 2008, 6:36 pm)
Thanks, Samuel. I knew they had. I don’t have a cut of their recording, but I have the GV one. I know the Oak Ridge Boys cut “Little One” in the 80’s, but again I went with the cuts I was familiar with.
Daniel, I thought my list was complete! Thrrow a brother a bone! Just kidding. Want to say what a great board you have. Nice to be apart of a board that you don’t have to wear armor to post on. Keep it up!
Comment by Daniel J. Mount (December 4, 2008, 7:13 pm)
Oh, you did get 10!
I’m really sorry about that. Somehow it looked like 6-8 to me on first glance.
Comment by Kyle (December 5, 2008, 7:36 am)
I’ve always loved the Oaks’ version of “There’s A New Kid In Town” with a full band, as opposed to the more common acoustic arrangement most artists do. They also put an acapella chorus of “Away In A Manger” on the beginning of the song.